Krishnagar, June 19:District magistrate of Nadia K.K. Paul had a narrow escape this morning when his Ambassador hit a tree and overturned while he was trailing the chief minister’s convoy, which was headed for the Murshidabad headquarters.

Paul’s car was one of many in the chief minister’s entourage in Nadia. Protocol had demanded that he be part of the team as long as the chief minister was in his district.

But the district magistrate’s driver failed to keep pace with the rest. When he strove to accelerate, the brakes failed. The car hit a wayside tree at Nagadi in the Nakashipara police station area, about 25 km from here.

Paul, his security guard Subhash Dubey and driver Ajit Dubey were rushed to the Nakashipara hospital by a passing BSF patrol.

Paul and Subhash were later shifted to a private nursing home. Ajit was admitted to the government hospital at Shaktinagar. “The driver was admitted with multiple injuries to the head, neck and chest but he has regained consciousness and seems to be out of danger,” said Prabhas Chowdhury, the chief medical officer of health in Nadia.

All three of them were later declared “out of danger”.

“The car that the district magistrate was in could not match the speed of the chief minister’s convoy, which was travelling quite fast. His Ambassador lagged behind the others and the brakes failed when the driver tried to step up the speed. He lost control,” said additional superintendent of police Pallab Kanti Ghosh.

“The road was slippery after showers in the morning and when the brakes failed, Ajit tried hard to retain control at a very high speed. We hit a tree and the car overturned on its left side. My left hand, which was outside the window, was badly bruised,” said Subhas.

The Nadia police escort, including superintendent Benoy Chakraborty and other senior officers, were far ahead of their boss’ car when it overturned.

The officers from Nadia were supposed to hand the convoy over to the Murshidabad police in Plassey.

Subhas said a passing BSF jeep spotted them. They took him, Paul and the unconscious driver to the hospital.